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Tsvangirai acts on coup threats

Politics
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has moved to deal with the threats to free and fair polls and a smooth transition of power.

APPARENTLY rattled by Zanu PF’s recent coup utterances, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has moved to deal with the threats to free and fair polls and a smooth transition of power.

Report by Everson Mushava/ Moses Matenga

He called for a meeting of the MDC-T top brass on Wednesday where a decision was made to take the matter up with the regional and continental guarantors of the Global Political Agreement.

Justice minister and Zanu PF chief negotiator Patrick Chinamasa and Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo recently reportedly joined a growing list of Zanu PF and army leaders who have threatened a coup were Tsvangirai to win the forthcoming elections.

Tsvangirai also told an audience at a New Zimbabwe lecture series meeting last night that Chinamasa and Gumbo’s utterances stood as proof that Zanu PF had conceded electoral defeat and warned he would only participate in a free and fair election whose result would be respected.

“I have news for Chinamasa that there are soldiers within our file and ranks who will not join the Chinamasa coup,” Tsvangirai said.

“Zimbabwe, Sadc and the African Union (AU) will not allow an unconstitutional government. The next elections should have an uncontested outcome.”

Tsvangirai said Chinamasa and Gumbo were not elected officials, but were in office at President Robert Mugabe’s benevolence. He said the two were simply singing for their supper which they should take “before sunset”.

He said they would be answerable for their utterances after the elections which he was sure of winning.

On Wednesday, Tsvangirai met his party’s standing committee and they resolved to take up Chinamasa’s coup threats with Sadc and the AU. Mugabe has said he wants elections held next March, but last night Tsvangirai said no date had been set as yet.

He said the two of them needed to agree first after media, security sector and other electoral reforms.

Earlier in the day, MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora confirmed the standing committee meeting on Wednesday.

“The standing committee discussed routine things, including preparations for elections and as well as utterances by Chinamasa and Zanu PF people that our victory will be disturbed by the army. We know Zanu PF is timid and frightened so it wants to threaten people into fear. We will take this issue with Sadc and other international bodies,” said Mwonzora.

“Sadc must ensure that there are free and fair elections whose results will be respected. The MDC wants to make sure that the will of the people of Zimbabwe is respected and that results of the elections are given effect to.”

Gumbo said he predicted a chaotic situation if Tsvangirai won as the army would not stomach that.

“I can say it will be a mess, that is what I can tell you. It will be messy. We will be asking for too much from our guys (the military) to accept these people who we all know fought against them and were responsible for the deaths of many comrades,” he was quoted as saying.

Chinamasa reportedly told the British media the army would not allow Tsvangirai to rule if he wins the next elections.

“. . . We will not accept it. We will just not accept it. Isn’t that clear?” Tsvangirai is reported to have confronted President Robert Mugabe over that and the two are said to have agreed Chinamasa’s utterances were in bad political taste.